I have a 97 7.3l powerstroke 278000 miles drove it home Friday evening no problems set over the weekend tried to start this morning not cold ran really rough for a few seconds check engine light came on and died. Checked oil was a little low so i topped it off, still doing same thing. the ICP seems to be fine and ford installed a new cps less then a year ago. Any suggestions. Thanks Lewis

Yes it starts every time runs real rough then dies in 2 to 3 seconds. I've had the truck 7 years. Had no major problems with it changed the valve cover gaskets, harnesses and glow plugs about a year ago. Put new batteries in it a couple of months ago. Its been a great truck just need to figure this out quick works been slow and can't work without it.

All right so I go out and try to start it and it starts up fine and runs. I let it idle for a while no problems. I shut it off and start it right back up still no problems. I let it sit for 3 hrs attempt to start it and it fires up idles perfectly for 30 sec then the check engine light comes on and it runs like crap and dies. Try to start again and it fires up idles about 5 sec and the check engine light comes on and dies. Any Ideas?

Big fuel,
I did pull off the wire and no change stills runs like crap then dies. I put in a new CPS and fuel filter today still no change. I noticed that its blowing white smoke out the exhaust too. Thanks for the help. Got any more ideas? Think I'm going to have to get a reader to pull the codes.

Well at least you have the white smoke. IDM's not the problem. When it's running you have good oil pressure (well a least as good as the dash gauge says it is)? The guys on here all complain that you need some expensive as hell scanner to read codes but my cheap a$$ innova scanner works just fine. Have you put a dial gauge on the fuel bowl Schrader port to see what fuel pressure you have while running? Pull the dipstick and smell the stick for fuel in the oil.

Big Fuel,
Think I got but let me know what you think. All right Oil pressure is good and fuel pressure is around 60 PSI. No fuel in oil. I did get it to run again today and this time I noticed fuel dripping from bell housing area and I can't see the leak but I do see fuel in the valley. Noticed this yesterday but chalked it up to messing with fuel filter. So what I think is happening I either have a bad pickup pump or fuel line that is allowing air into the system making it run like that until I have messed with it enough that it bleeds the air out of the system. Any other Ideas? Thanks Lewis

We are on the same page. I'm also thinking on the fuel supply side is the problem. But the last piece of the hydraulic side that hasn't been tested and can't really without a live view scanner is the IPR duty cycle. The lift pump is actually two pumps, one to bring in the fuel from the tanks to the bowl and then back into the pump to up the pressure. On the front of the bowl are two brass 90*'s. These are the fuel return lines from the heads. If you have a helper pull the number 3 relay (one for the IDM), crack or remove the line, have your friend crank the engine and watch for the fuel that is coming out to have bubbles or straight fuel. PM me a email address and I can send you Fords write-up on the fuel system components.

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